Morphing
by Narya's Bane
Summary: What kind of illness can a metamorphmagus get? Something that her husband understands all too well. When Remus comes home to a sick Dora, things get sweet. NT/RL fluff.


Author's Note: I've wanted to do a fluffy-like story for this pair for a while but kept having inspiration issues. This weekend that faded- but this is my first REAL Remus/Tonks story, so please be nice. Hopefully I will be able to do more!

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Remus Lupin was tired. The morning after the full moon was always difficult, and last night had been a particularly painful transformation due to the lack of available wolfsbane. Dora was able to make it, but Remus hadn't reminded her this month- which left her rushing at the last minute and only getting half a dose ready in time. Remus said it was fine, and indeed it was, but the change was still uncomfortable...

Being ready for a rest, Remus was not amused when a black labrador came up to him and began nuzzling his leg. He sighed at the animal as his hand lowered to rest on its head. "Did Dora let you inside?" he asked the canine, surprised when the pup yelped. "I don't really want a dog. Wonder what she was thinking."

At that moment the labrador changed from black to a golden yellow, crying out again. The back legs furthered from the front, and the tail became inexplicably shorter. The dog lay on the floor in an estimation of a whimper, letting Remus see an apparently broken rib.

"Poor thing," Remus whispered, kneeling beside it and stroking lightly as he observed the animal. "You shouldn't be up and about." Must have been a rescue from Dora due to its illness, but why she hadn't taken it to a vet or healed it was beyond him...

Suddenly, the dog squeeled again. The fur turned bright pink, then moved only to the head as the canine body changed into that of Remus' wife Nymphadora. The rib was in place now, but it seemed her leg was out of joint. Her eyes remained closed as she gasped for air hungrily. When she let her eyelids flash open, the eyeballs themselves were pitch black. Trying to smile, Dora managed only a sickly grin as her lips puckered to their normal size.

"Dora? What's happened?"

"Can't... control... morphs. Need help."

Remus crumpled his nose in sympathy. Uncontrolled changes were infinitely painful, and it appeared Dora's were severe. Her body fluxed again, bones finally meeting correctly at the join- her leg slid into place, her neck falling a half centimeter on her neck as her hair lengthened to her shoulder and turned deep black. Dora reached her arms up to wrap around Remus' neck in frantic relief; the werewolf stiffled a groan as she hit a fresh bruise, letting her nuzzle deep into his chest.

"Dora? How long have you been like this?"

"Just after you left for the station yesterday," she admitted. "I didn't want to worry you, so I called mom instead, but her directions were a bloody disaster."

Remus sighed. "You should have said something."

"I have medicine," Dora insisted. "I'll be fine."

Remus sighed and picked his wife off the floor, setting her on the couch just as her hair began flowing down her back and turning bright blue. She was deposited just as she cried out again, her body shrinking and turning into that of a two year old child. When she settled in that form Remus moved forward and let her rest her head on his lap.

"Bugger," Dora murmured, breathless.

"I find it quite cute," Remus admitted with a grin.

Dora began to pout, which turned to a whimper as her morph turned to a feline form. She yowled half a second, then curled up on Remus' lap and began purring loudly. After just another moment the cat-Dora was sleeping soundly as Remus gently stroked the black fur- all the while realizing she probably hadn't gotten much (if any) sleep the night prior while he'd been out dozing as a wolf. Not for the first time, Remus cursed his lycanthropy as he felt the nocturnal purring of the feline.

When Nymphadora woke up, she had her normal pink spikes and was curled up in her husband's lap. His arms surrounded her, and he himself was currently snoring. She smiled and tried to move, finding that motion was impossible. Concentrating, she was able to convince her muscles that swelling was not, in fact, a worthwhile pursuit before snuggling deep into his chest and sighing loudly.

"Nym?" Remus asked, waking again.

"I'm all right," she assured. "Med kicked in."

Remus nodded sagely and rubbed the back of her neck. "How often has this happened?"

"Eh?"

"You called your mum. How often has this happened in the past that she would know what to do?"

Dora let a sheepish grin fall on her face. "About once a year when I was a kid, then after Hogwarts it slowed to about every other year. Why?"

"Just wondering how often I might come home to a dog that looks like my best friend once did."

Dora blushed. "Sorry about that."

"No apology needed. Just get better."

Nymphadora let out a happy sigh as she began to doze off again. Her body then twisted to that of a young child, though still with Dora's usual facial features; Remus shook his head, but let her stay. "Want to watch something?" he asked quietly.

"Can you just hold me?" Dora responded.

Remus was still exhausted. But the sadness in her voice, and the cute way her dimples showed on her face when she appeared eleven, told him there was nowhere else he would rather be. He squeezed with all he had, glad that he was there for this beautiful creature...and beyond that, that he could call her his wife.


End file.
